• Boeing has delivered O3b mPOWER satellites F11, F12 and F13 to SES, completing manufacturing for the initial 13-satellite constellation
  • The three spacecraft are due to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in September and are expected to enter service in mid-2027

The fact

Boeing has delivered the final three satellites in SES's initial 13-satellite O3b mPOWER constellation. The spacecraft, F11, F12 and F13, have arrived at Cape Canaveral, where they are being prepared for launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in September.

The three satellites will join 10 O3b mPOWER spacecraft already operating in medium Earth orbit. SES says the additional satellites will increase the capacity and resilience of its MEO network, which supports mobility, government, enterprise and cloud customers. The September launch will not make that additional capacity available immediately. Boeing expects F11, F12 and F13 to enter service in mid-2027 after orbit raising and initialisation.

The assessment

eing has finished building and delivering the final three satellites, so the remaining work is now in space. After the September launch, F11, F12 and F13 still need to reach their operating orbits and complete testing before SES can use them in the network.

That distinction is important because launch and service are not the same milestone. SES expects the satellites to enter service in mid-2027, several months after launch. A successful September mission would therefore show that deployment is progressing, but it would not mean the additional capacity is already available to customers.

For BTW readers, the initial 13-satellite programme is nearing completion, but the network expansion is not finished yet. The clearest sign of completion will be SES confirming that all three satellites have entered service and are contributing capacity to O3b mPOWER.

What to Watch

Watch whether all three satellites launch as scheduled in September and are deployed successfully, followed by progress through orbit raising and initialisation. Confirmation from SES that F11, F12 and F13 have entered commercial service in mid-2027 will mark the point when the new spacecraft begin contributing capacity to the network.